‘Where the hell did you find this?!’

‘Where else?’

The figure dripped in disbelief, stunned out of speech. ‘Why so shocked Julliard if you sent me to retrieve the pomegranate in the first place?’

‘Styx. You crossed Styx.’ I shrug to complete the show, and Julliard breaks out into hysterics.

‘You must be obtuse if you think I would believe that you stole this from hades himself!’

Her hood has slipped and her expression is smug, proud of catching me out in my lie. ‘I really did, and unless you can prove otherwise, I’ll be leaving with the rest of the payment.’

‘Ha! And how am I supposed to prove that!’

‘Maybe you should have thought of that too, being your job and all, you seem awfully unprepared.’

‘You critic MY performance at my job? You can’t even do yours.’

Her composure is slipping, emotions only rising with the atmosphere of the tavern. I tut while I slowly shake my head sore to side, recalling memorises of patronising teachers. They didn’t believe me either.

‘Again as i have established you need to prove my item false, using a method you should have come up with.’ But I drawl, ‘if you were so confident in the falsehood of the fruit, you could taste it yourself.’ My tone comes out exactly how I wish it to. Wholly convinced that she will not eat the pomegranate.

She studies me, and I can tell the thrill of eating my ware is appealing to her. A story she can tell at parties to impress her boring white collar friends. The perfect risk for someone like Julliard. Not an actual one, just the illusion that gets the adrenaline flowing and the blood pumping and the heart racing.

She takes a juicy bite and moans at the taste. Heavenly, or quite the opposite I suppose.

I confirmed one untruthful thing with Julliard. I never stole from Hades. He was more than happy to see Julliard in the underworld.